This is my official Merry Christmas! post. Any of you who are not Christian, I'm wishing you a Happy Hanukkah or a Joyous Kwanzaa, whichever is most appropriate. For anyone who doesn't fall into one of these three categories, label yourself and stop causing trouble.
In times past both my parents were alive, and we had a large gathering for Christmas dinner. Among the eighteen or so guests were Uncle Sardonicus and Grandpa Parsimonious. My old dad really knew how to pour a drink, and Uncle Sardonicus liked to bend his elbow and pontificate on politics. Since he knew everything that was worth knowing, and since he was an idiot a liberal, these speeches could easily lead to a civilized disagreement. Keep reading - trust me.